


You Should Have Gone Home

by toreelyn



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Character Death, Death, Deathfic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Injury, Major Character Injury, One Shot, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Stabbing, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 16:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17369492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toreelyn/pseuds/toreelyn
Summary: Peter could only watch as Iron Man tried to take on Thanos, but he knew that the only way the Avengers even had a chance was if Tony Stark survived. Peter knows he has a part to play in all of this, even if it means he doesn't get to see the end.ORWhat if Tony didn't get the chance to be stabbed on Titan? What if someone else had taken the blade?





	You Should Have Gone Home

**Author's Note:**

> Okay guys, so I have actually been working on the one-shot for awhile, but just never thought it was ready to be posted, so I hope it is now. This is the first death fic I have posted, so don't be too mad. Try to enjoy it!

Peter has been sitting back, watching Iron Man take on Thanos. He feels that he should do something to help, but he doesn't want to get in the way and cause Tony to lose the fight, let alone his life, so he stays hidden. He just needs to be patient--something that never came easily to Peter Parker--and stay back until the opportune moment. Wait, this could be good. Tony just delivered a pretty gnarly blow to the giant.

“All that, for a drop of blood", Thanos pulls his hand back from his cheek where a bead of purple blood has formed. Suddenly, things go back to shit for Iron Man, as Thanos begins throwing punches, once again.

The fight continues and Tony is taking him on alone. Strange is knocked out and the alien people are all over the place, but all Peter can focus on is his mentor. 

Suddenly, a large sharp object grows out of Tony's suit. Peter watches from his quiet spot behind a giant piece of the moon that Thanos lurched at Tony. Peter already sees it all playing out in his mind. Something bad is going to happen to Tony. Peter is moving before he even has time to think it through.

Tony lunges the blade forward only for it to be caught in Thanos’ hand. Tony’s eyes widen in horror as he realizes that he is going to lose this battle. He isn't strong enough to keep Thanos from using his own weapon against him. Tony sees the blade aimed and ready to pearce his chest, but he is suddenly pushed with a force so strong, it throws him about 20 feet away from his original standing position. 

Tony, genuinely confused, shakes his head and darts his eyes over to the source of the push. Tony's heart drops down into his stomach so hard that it physically hurts as he witnesses the scene playing out in front of his eyes.

Peter is standing in front of Thanos with Tony's blade buried so far in the center of his chest that it is protruding out of his back. Peter lets his mask pull back off of his head and Tony can hardly stand to look, but can't tear his eyes away. Blood begins to pool over in Peter's mouth as he stares up at his attacker with wide, scared eyes, gasping.

"No!" Tony screams reaching out for Peter.

Thanos just looks at the teenager. He doesn't have a look of angry judgement or amusement, but one of sadness. Is Thanos feeling remorse to find that he has just impaled a kid? The look is quickly replaced with one of motivation. He knows how to hurt Tony and hopefully gets the time stone. This kid obviously means something to Tony. He begins lifting Peter off the ground by the blade.

Peter let's out a gag and winces as he grips the blade with both hands, trying to take some of his body weight off of the weapon. He can feel himself weakening, and if it weren't for the iron spider suit, his hands would be bleeding from gripping the sharp edge. He doesn't know how much longer he can hold himself up as his muscles quickly weaken, and a tear makes it's way down his cheek. He hates that the drop gets away. He wants to look strong for Tony. He tries to take a deep breath, but any movement in his chest causes the blade to slice more.

"Stop", Tony cries, seeing how much pain this monster is inflicting on Peter. He flies over to the two of them. "Stop!".

"Such a pity", Thanos says, not taking his eyes off of Peter, "So young, such potential. Should have known better".

"Let him go", Tony hisses.

"Don't be too distraught, Stark", Thanos assures Tony. "You're not off the hook. It will be just as easy to take your life, as well". Peter’s eyes move to Tony. Tony can’t die. He has to survive so he can win. Peter has made his choice, he just hopes that it pays off.

"Don't", a deep voice says from behind Tony. Tony turns to see a tired and weak looking Strange. "If you promise to spare Stark's life, I will give you the Time Stone".

"No, Strange. Not an option", Tony says surely. Trying not to focus on Peter's wet gags.

Strange ignores Tony, still looking at Thanos, "But only if you spare him".

Thanos smirks, "I promise".

Strange, being true to his word, has the green stone appear in his hand and hands it to their enemy. Thanos takes it, and looks back at Peter, who is still weakly struggling on the blade, squeezing his eyes shut, causing more tears to stream down his face, blood falling from his mouth. 

Thanos looks at the stone and without averting his eyes, throws Peter off the blade. The teenager flies a ways before hitting the dusty ground.

Thanos puts the stone onto his gauntlet and is gone.

Tony flies over to Peter as quickly as he can and drops to his knees before gently rolling the teenager over onto his back. He takes in the boy's condition. It’s so bad. 

Peter's eyes are half open as he looks blankly at the orange sky above them. There is blood pooling around him and he is already so pale. Tony doesn't know what to do, so he tries to talk to the kid.

"Hey Pete, can you hear me?" he says. Peter's eyes open a little more as he looks around a bit. "Hey, right here, kid", Tony says, placing his face in Peter's line of vision.

Peter knows Tony is talking to him, but his voice is so muffled behind all the ringing in his ears. He eventually finds his mentor's eyes and tries to speak, but his mouth is filled with blood once again, he chokes and coughs, causing the blood to clear out through his slightly parted lips. He tries to speak again, "Mr. Stark?".

"Yeah, kid", Tony places his hand on Peter's head, relieved that he is still coherent. "It's me", he looks Spider-Man over, "Why the hell would you do something like that, Parker? So damn impulsive".

"I'm not going to make it, am I?" the teen asks quietly, a tear falling from the corner of his eye and into his hair line, already knowing the answer. He can feel his body trying to heal itself, but it’s not strong enough.

Tony's heart shatters. Peter knows how bad it is. "Pete, try not to talk. I know it's a challenge for you".

Strange comes up beside them. "I'm sorry, Stark". Tony looks up at him with venom in his eyes. "It was the only way". Tony is livid, now Peter's sacrifice will be all for nothing.

"The stone", Peter says, hardly able to remember what happened with the stone. Tony looks back down to him quickly as the teen remembers the exchange. "The stone", Peter says, panic filling his features. "Th-Thanos has-has the stone". He winces from the effort.

"Parker, I don't even want you thinking about that right now, okay? You need to focus on staying alive. You hear me?". He just wants Peter to be calm. He can’t stand to see him in anymore distress.

"M-Mr. Stark", Peter says. This is his fault. He couldn’t stop Thanos from taking the stone.

"Do you understand me, Peter?" Tony doesn't let him finish, knowing exactly what the kid is trying to say.

Peter would generally argue with his mentor, but he's too tired, so he just nods weakly, more tears filling his brown eyes.

That is a breaking point for Tony. He starts to fall apart, but he won't let Peter see. He drops his head. "Damn it, kid. I told you to go home", he says, trying to pull himself back together. He lifts his head and looks at the teen.

As Peter's breaths begin hitching in his throat, Tony thinks of the time he has had with the brave teenager--the very little time he has had. He thinks of the day he inserted himself into Peter's quiet life and dragged him to Germany. His life was never the same after that. Peter WANTED to be a hero. He WANTED to continue to put his life in danger to help those who could not defend themselves the way he could. He WANTED to become an avenger. He thinks about how Peter found out about Toomes' plans to steal the weapons and how he stopped him by himself because Tony wouldn't take him seriously. He thinks about all the voicemails from Peter that he pretended to never have recieved. He thinks about how well the kid handled balancing personal relationships, school, and being Spider-Man. He thinks about how much Peter has always cared--cared too much, because now he put himself on a spaceship that brought them to a baren planet with a crazy titan. He cared too much and now he is bleeding out in Tony's arms because of that very flaw.

"Mr. St-Stark".

Tony is ripped from his thoughts by a soft, gentle voice. He looks down at Peter in his arms, and notices that he looks worse than he did 30 seconds ago. How could his condition have decreased so much within a minute? "Kid, I know it's uncomfortable but we need to apply pressure", Tony places a rough hand over the whole in the kid's chest, but the teen doesn't wince. "I know I'm making the pain worse, but-".

"No", Peter says, taking a deep, thick breath, "It's okay. It doesn't hurt anymore". Another slow tears escapes his eye as he realizes what that means.

Tony freezes right then and there. That isn't a good thing. He knows that kid only has minutes left. He pulls the scared boy into his arms.

"Mr. Stark", Peter's body has quit trembling and an eerie calmness has taken over. "I know what you're thinking", Peter says, thickly swallowing what liquid is pooling in his mouth. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry".

"Knock it off, kid. Don't apologize, just stay with me", Tony demands.

"I'm sorry", Peter says. His eyes roll back slightly as he closes his tired eyes. A strong urge to sleep wipes over him. He just wants to rest for a bit.

"Parker, don't check out on me", Tony says, shaking the boy harder than he means to.

The teenager doesn't open his eyes, but speaks, "Mr. Stark, please watch over May". What will she do when he’s gone? His heart breaks for his aunt. First he gets Ben killed, now he went and did the same thing to himself. Tony bites the inside of his cheeks. Peter can only think about his aunt at a time like this. The young hero opens his eyes slightly, tears flooding them once more. "She’ll be all alone”, Peter’s bottom lip trembles as he thinks about how he is- was all she had left. “Don't tell her how it happened. Tell her-tell her it was peaceful, like-like falling asleep".

"I'll tell her more than that. I’ll tell her it was brave and heroic--true Parker fashion", Stark smiles down at him, and he isn’t lying. Peter has done the Parker name proud.

He becomes desperate. He needs Tony’s word before he goes. "Mr. Stark, I-I need you to promise me", Peter's voice cracks and he grips his mentor’s hand, eyes burning into Tony's. "When this is over, and you've won, be there for May".

"Kid, I don't know. Thanos is-".

He cuts him off, "You will win", the teen coughs and his body begins to relax again, "You always do. You save people. You saved me". He has so much faith in Tony. He always has. He knows if anyone can save the universe, it’s Tony Stark. Tony's heart sinks lower, which he thinks is impossible. "Promise me".

"Yeah kid, I promise. I'll protect your aunt". Peter smiles, his teeth stained with red. Tony hates how vibrant the red looks next to the boy's pale face. Peter's smile fades as his eyes close and his body jerks. "Kid, not yet", Tony squeezes his hand, but gets to squeeze in return as the body in his arms jerks once again. The kid wants so badly to respond to the beg in his mentor’s voice, but nothing is listening to his demands. He can’t even draw in a new breath, let alone grip Tony’s hand to let him know that he hears him and that he wants to stay. Peter attempts to open his eyes, but again, isn't successful as his head falls back limply. Everything goes blissfully cold as he finally submits to the sleep. "Parker!" Tony snaps, holding up the teen's head and firmly shaking the side of his face. "Hey kid!". Peter doesn't respond, his body gently jerks one last time and just comes to a complete stop. "Peter?" Tony looks down at the teen, not wanting to accept what has happened. "No", he pulls the kid's body closer to him, "No, no, no, no, no...". He begins to crack as he rocks the cooling body back and forth, and places his hand in Peter's hair, "God, kid. Peter, no. Come on, kid. Don't-don't do this". He quietly begins to hyperventilate before he breaks down and begins to sob.

Tony knows that he needs to take a moment to mourn the young hero, but he also knows that he needs to pull himself together, find the other avengers, and kick Thanos in the ass, because he made an important promise to an important person--

And he intends to keep it.

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah...  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you felt all the feels I intended you to feel and please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for future projects!


End file.
